August 1, 2017
Updated Written Certification
The Written Certification for the Therapeutic Use of Cannabis form has been updated to reflect the newly added qualifying medical conditions. This updated form can now be used for all applicants. Please note that the Therapeutic Cannabis Program strongly encourages applicants with one of the newly added conditions to wait until the laws become effective before submitting an application to the program. The effective dates of the laws are August 15 and August 27 and are described in more detail below.

June 30, 2017
New Qualifying Medical Conditions
Various bills have been signed into law by Governor Sununu relative to the Therapeutic Cannabis Program. These bills will add new qualifying medical conditions and will change some existing qualifying medical conditions.

SB 17, effective 6/16/17, allows Hepatitis C as a qualifying medical condition without the treatment restriction of “currently receiving antiviral treatment.” A medical provider must also certify that a patient has a qualifying symptom listed in the law.

HB 160, effective 8/27/17, makes the following changes to the list of qualifying medical conditions:

Adds “moderate or severe post-traumatic stress disorder” as a new qualifying medical condition.

Adds “severe pain that has not responded to previously prescribed medication or surgical measures or for which other treatment options produced serious side effect” as a new qualifying medical condition.

Adds “Ehlers-Danlos syndrome” as a new qualifying medical condition. A medical provider must also certify that a patient has a qualifying symptom listed in the law.

Adds “One or more injuries or conditions that has resulted in one or more qualifying symptoms [listed in the law].” This allows medical providers to certify patients for any medical condition that results in a qualifying symptom listed in the law. This replaces “one or more injuries that significantly interferes with daily activities as documented by the patient's provider.”

These newly added conditions are not qualifying medical conditions until the effective dates of the new laws. The Therapeutic Cannabis Program strongly encourages applicants with these newly added conditions to wait until the laws become effective before submitting to the program an application for the therapeutic use of cannabis. In early August the program will make available an updated Written Certification form for medical providers to complete which will include the newly added conditions.

January 2017Petitions for Approval of a Severely Debilitating or Terminal Medical Condition Not Listed as a Qualifying Medical Condition
RSA 126-X:1, IX(b) allows the NH Department of Health and Human Services to add medical conditions which are not listed as “qualifying medical conditions” under RSA 126-X:1, IX(a) to the list of eligible conditions for the Therapeutic Cannabis Program. Administrative rule He-C 401.09 establishes the process for medical providers to request the addition of such conditions through a petition process.

Petitions may be submitted to the Department by medical providers throughout the months of January and July, beginning in January 2017.

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